This story has been updated.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Firefighters are at the scene of a wildland fire that has caused the evacuation of a nearby apartment complex, with reports of additional fires stretching local fire resources.
The main fire is located behind the Cache Creek Apartments on Dam Road in Clearlake.
The latest report from Cal Fire, issued at 5:30 p.m., said the Dam fire has burned 10 acres.
That acreage remained the same about an hour later, with containment reported to be 50 percent from incident command at the scene.
Firefighters were dispatched to the area at around 4:05 p.m. on the report of a small wildland fire with structures threatened.
Initial units on the scene found the fire quickly moving through the vegetation and getting fanned by high, erratic winds, according to radio reports.
Due to the conditions, at around 4:30 p.m. firefighters began to evacuate the complex and set up an evacuation center in the parking lot of the nearby Walmart.
By 5 p.m. the fire had topped three acres and was pushing around both sides of the complex, with the eaves on the south side of the westernmost building in the apartment complex reported to be burning.
At around the same time, another fire was reported in the area of Bryant Road, as well as another spot fire farther down Dam Road, according to reports from the scene.
Power lines were reported to be down on Bryant Road as well as Dam Road.
Lake County Fire and Cal Fire were the initial agencies to respond, with a request for an in-county strike team put out to all Lake County agencies just after 5 p.m.
Law enforcement units also were requested to assist with evacuations between the fire and the Lower Lake area.
Minutes later, a separate fire was reported to be burning in the Cache Creek Mobil Home Estates on Dam Road, with structures threatened. Lakeport Fire was asked to respond due to all resources in Clearlake already being committed. However, firefighters were unable to locate that fire.
Lake County Office of Emergency Services and Red Cross were notified about the Dam fire and the Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection group – LEAP for short – also was asked to respond to the evacuation area at Walmart on precaution.
Shortly before 6:30 p.m., Cal Fire Battalion Chief Greg told Lake County News that firefighters were making good progress on the fire, which was remaining at around 10 acres despite the extremely erratic winds that were bouncing around the apartment complex.
“It's looking better. It was a mess,” he said, adding, “We've got all the agencies in Lake County here.”
The fire was pushing south of a homeless encampment in the area, Bertelli said.
He said two to three structures had been damaged, but there were no injuries.
The fire was spotting as far as a mile and a half away from the main body of the fire, Bertelli said.
Resources from the Wragg fire in Napa and Solano counties responded to the Dam fire, including four helicopters and four air tankers, Bertelli said.
One hundred and 50 personnel from the Wragg fire in Napa and Solano counties also were responding at one point, but Bertelli canceled them at around 6:30 p.m.
Bertelli said at 6:30 p.m. that he was anticipating getting evacuees back to their homes in about four to five hours.
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.